Wayne State University Athletics

The men's basketball team will entertain Tiffin on Sunday at the WSU Fieldhouse.

Men's Basketball 11/18/2022 6:28:00 PM Jeff Weiss, Senior Associate Director of Athletics/Media Relations

Men's Basketball Hosts Tiffin On Sunday, Visits Lewis On Tuesday

Warriors are looking for back-to-back victories.

STORYLINES
After earning its first win of the season on Thursday at Lake Erie (74-73), Wayne State will look to even its season record in home match-up against the Tiffin Dragons on Sunday at the WSU Fieldhouse. The Warriors will conclude their November schedule with a Tuesday contest at Lewis University.

The first three contests for WSU were not for the faint of heart, as the games were decided by a combined eight points.

THE SERIES
Wayne State has an 18-3 advantage in the all-time series against Tiffin which dates back to 1986. WSU won the first 11 meetings, and has posted a 9-1 mark in Detroit. The squads have not met since TU left for the GMAC following the 2017-18 campaign.

The Lewis Flyers hold a slim 8-7 edge in the all-time series with the Warriors. This is the 13th consecutive year the teams have met (excluding the COVID year of 2020-21). WSU is 2-6 at the Neil Carey Arena, but Wayne State did win the last match-up in Romeoville, 67-66, on November 16, 2019.

SCOUTING THE DRAGONS
Tiffin began the season with a pair of setbacks at the GMAC-GLVC Crossover in North Canton, Ohio, on Nov. 11-12. The Dragons lost 72-61 to Maryville and 67-54 to Missouri-St. Louis. The Dragons visit Edinboro this evening (Nov. 18).

Junior guard Carius Key (15.5 PPG) and junior forward Wesley Jordan (10.5 PPG) lead Tiffin in scoring after the first two contests. Key has made a team-best five triples, while Jordan has grabbed a team-high 14 rebounds. Junior forward Joshua Rivers has contributed 13 rebounds, while leading the squad in both assists (5) and steals (5).

Tom Church is in his fifth season at Tiffin after previously serving as a head coach at St. Joseph's College (Rensselaer, Ind.) and IU-Kokomo.

SCOUTING THE FLYERS
Lewis won at Michigan Tech (71-67), but lost to Northern Michigan (73-60) on Nov. 12-13 in Houghton. LU hosts Cedarville tomorrow (Nov. 19).

Sophomore guard Jamere Hill (Toledo transfer) and graduate student forward Atakan Sahinkaya (Troy State transfer) are tied for the team lead in scoring at 13.5 PPG after two contests. Sahinkaya has grabbed a team-best 12 rebounds, while Hill has a team-high three assists.

Sophomore forward Cem Kirciman (UW-Green Bay transfer) and Hill each have four steals.

Head coach Scott Trost is in his 17th season and is the Flyers all-time winningest men's basketball coach

LAST TIME OUT
In a game that featured five ties and four lead changes in the first half, the Warriors led the entire second half with just two ties (56-56, and 70-70). Antonio Marshall made two baskets in the final 75 seconds and the WSU defense held the Storm to just three points over the final three minutes to record the first victory in head coach Bryan Smothers tenure.

Ray Williams, Jr. and Carmelo Harris tied for game-high scoring honors with 17 points apiece as five Warriors scored in double figures. Williams also grabbed a team-best seven rebounds, while making a game-high three triples.

WARRIOR UPDATE
Freshman Carmelo Harris leads a quartet of Warriors averaging in double figures after three games. Harris (13.7 PPG), Antonio Marshall (13.3 PPG), Ray Williams, Jr. (11.3 PPG) and Kaimen Lennox (11.0) pace the WSU offense.

Marshall and Williams, Jr. have each made six triples, with Williams, Jr. grabbing a team-best 17 rebounds (5.7 RPG). Marshall has dished out a team-high eight assists. Cortez Jackson is leading the squad with four steals, while Williams, Jr. is shooting a team-best 54 percent (14-of-26) from the floor.

INTRODUCING COACH SMOTHERS
Wayne State will officially begin a new era in the men's basketball program earlier this month as 2020 Hall of Fame inductee Bryan Smothers became just the second former WSU student-athlete to lead the program (joining Newman Ertell who lettered from 1921-25, then became head coach in 1929 for the College of the City of Detroit). Smothers is the 11th head coach (including interim) since Detroit Junior College began playing basketball in January of 1918.

The 2022-23 campaign is the 105th season of Wayne State basketball (no games were played in 1943-44 due to World War II).

LIVE ON WDTK
Kevin Brechmacher will call every Wayne State contest live on WDTK - The Patriot (1400 AM / 101.5 FM). Fans can also stream the action online at PatriotDetroit.com. Former Warrior Marcus Moore will serve as the analyst for the November 20th game.

WARRIOR ALL-ACCESS
Every regular season home game will be streamed via Warrior All-Access at WSUAthletics.com.

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Players Mentioned

#11 Carmelo Harris: G; 5' 11"; Freshman

#4 Cortez Jackson: G; 6' 1"; Graduate Student

#22 Kaimen Lennox: G; 6' 2"; Junior

#1 Antonio Marshall: G; 6' 4"; Redshirt Senior

#23 Ray Williams, Jr.: G/F; 6' 5"; Junior

Players Mentioned

#11 Carmelo Harris
: 5' 11"; Freshman
: G

#4 Cortez Jackson
: 6' 1"; Graduate Student
: G

#22 Kaimen Lennox
: 6' 2"; Junior
: G

#1 Antonio Marshall
: 6' 4"; Redshirt Senior
: G

#23 Ray Williams, Jr.
: 6' 5"; Junior
: G/F